08 Jun 2021

Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Mr Kefentse Mzwinila says his ministry is doing everything in its power to alleviate water shortage in Kanye.

Speaking during a meeting co-hosted by Kanye South and North MPs, Dr Lemogang Kwape and Mr Thapelo Letsholo respectively, attended by the village leadership on Thursday, he said the ministry managed to bring water to Kanye in 2019, from the north through the North-South Carrier (NSC) water project from Mmamashia water treatment plant.

Mr Mzwinila said Kanye had been depending on borehole water over the years, but now the population had ballooned, thus triggering the ministry to ponder other avenues that would bring a permanent solution to water shortage.

He said the NSC water project that ferried water from Letsibogo and Dikgatlhong dams was meant to alleviate water shortage in the southern part of the country; hence water shortage in Kanye would be a thing of the past after the rehabilitation of water infrastructure system in the village.

He said at this point in time they had a challenge of reticulating water around the village because the water infrastructure system was old and needed rehabilitation, pointing out that their wish was to have started the rehabilitation exercise this financial year 2021/22, but COVID-19 had frustrated their plans.

However, he said expectations were that the rehabilitation exercise would start in the financial year 2022/23, funds permitting, to end the water shortage.

Minister Mzwinila said if relevant authorities would allocate his ministry funds in the financial year 2022/23, the rehabilitation exercise would take 18 months.

He said the multimillion Masama water project was expected to be completed this month, adding that such would augment water from Mmamashia project.

The project is largely seen as the government’s fulfilment of water promises to the rest of the southern region, which was traditionally water stressed, he said.

He pleaded with the public to be patient as water reticulation problem-solving was a sequential development and would, therefore, eventually be complete.

On other issues, Mr Mzwinila said construction of major village sanitation scheme or waste water drainage system was part of infrastructure projects that were in the National Development Plan 11.

He, however, noted that it should continue despite ravages caused by the pandemic because it was of paramount importance.

He said the waste water drainage system in Kanye was not yet complete and government had already spent P1.1 billion of the projected P2.35 billion to complete the project because it should be complementary to the status of the village.

He, however, noted that the only hurdle left was to request funds from Parliament.

MP Letsholo said it was paramount to rescue people from challenges, pointing that it offered valuable recourse for those in need.

He also spoke of the need for authorities to intensify their efforts in improving the livelihood of Batswana, adding that people should not blow problems out of proportion, but strive to come up with long-lasting solutions.

Mr Letsholo said water shortage situation in the village had improved, but the water reticulation system was old and underground pipes were leaking, causing wastage and shortage, hence they needed rehabilitation.

On other issues, the Kanye North legislator said Kanye Seventh Day Adventist Hospital was overwhelmed by the growing demand of health services due to increasing population, emphatically calling for another district hospital in Kanye to rescue the situation. Ends